12/11/2011 Wave Project

Over 45% of Black men who attend college don’t graduate. In Minneapolis, an estimated 20% of first year college students ages 18-54 drop out at midterm in 2-year programs. Change will require a united effort.

Host Donald Allen talks with guests:

Dr. Jesse Mason, Jr.: The Minnesota Minority Education Partnership (MMEP) recently named Jesse L. Mason, Jr., PhD an MMEP Policy Fellow. Dr. Mason is a member of the psychology faculty at MCTC and an adjunct faculty member at St. Catherine University. Dr. Mason has assisted in the data collection, policy analysis, research and writing of the “State of African American Males in Education in Minnesota” policy brief. Dr. Mason is also the lead advisor for the Student African American Brotherhood in at MCTC – an organization dedicated to making sure Black men and women achieve excellence in college.

Dr. Nekima Levy-Pounds, Esq: Professor Nekima Levy-Pounds is the director of the Community Justice Project (CJP), an award-winning civil rights legal clinic. The CJP is a part of the Inter-professional Center for Counseling and Legal Services. Levy-Pounds teaches and supervises law students as they use the law as a tool to advance the cause of social justice in poor communities of color through problem-solving, legal research and writing, community engagement and legislative advocacy. Levy-Pounds’ goal in founding the CJP was to take a more holistic approach to addressing complex issues affecting the poor and working poor.

Dr. Enid Logan: Dr. Logan is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Logan’s areas of interests are Contemporary U.S. Race Relations; Sociology of Afro-Latin Populations; Family, Marriage and Gender; Race and Media; Race and Law; Historical and Comparative Methods. She is also the author of the recently released book, “At This Defining Moment”: Barack Obama's Presidential Candidacy and the New Politics of Race. (2011 New York: NYU Press). Dr. Logan joins us to explain and analysis the roles race and gender play in the ever-growing disparities among Black Men.

Sarah Catherine Walker - Sarah is the Chief Operating Officer at 180 Degrees, Inc. Sarah holds a BA in Political Science and African American Studies from Carleton College. Walker is also a doctoral student in the department of political science at the University of Minnesota. Walker brings extensive research experience to issues of politics, inequality, criminal justice reform and the role of philanthropic organizations in setting interest group agendas. Her current research hypothesizes that contrary to dominant views expressing the centrality of successful media campaigns to political agenda setting, unpopular or disenfranchised groups may benefit from an absence of media attention. This hypothesis has both practical and theoretical implications and challenges the basic tenants of pluralism in American politics.